Huawei Leads Chinese Smartphone Market for First Time in Over 4 Years Amid US Export Restrictions

Huawei surpassed Vivo and Oppo to take the top spot in China's smartphone market for the first time in over four years, with an 18% market share in Q2. The company's resilience was fueled by new designs and software, as well as its own hardware and technologies, including AI chips. However, overall shipments in China fell 4% to 69 million units, marking the first decline after six consecutive quarters of growth.

Huawei has reclaimed the top position in China's smartphone market for the first time in over four years, according to IDC's latest report. The company secured an 18.1% market share in the second quarter of 2025, surpassing competitors like Vivo and OPPO. This rebound comes after Huawei's strong performance in the market, driven by new product launches and its proprietary AI chips.

Huawei shipped 12.5 million smartphones in Q2 2025, a significant increase despite a 3.4% annual growth decline. The company's success can be attributed to the popularity of the Nova 14 series, the Pura X foldable, and the all-new Pura 80 flagship. Will Wang, a senior research manager at IDC, highlighted Huawei's strong brand appeal and effective shipment management as key factors in their return to the top spot [1].

Vivo, which held the top position in Q1 2025, came in second with 11.9 million shipments and a 17.3% market share. The company experienced a 10.1% YoY decline but may regain momentum with the upcoming X300 series. OPPO sold around 10.7 million units, securing 15.5% of the market share, while Xiaomi stood at 10.4 million units with 15.1% market share. Apple, despite Chinese subsidies, shipped 9.6 million units and held 13.9% of the market share, marking a 4.9% annual growth decline [1].

Overall, the Chinese smartphone market witnessed a 4.0% YoY decline in Q2 2025, with 69.0 million unit shipments. This marks the first decline after six consecutive quarters of growth, indicating a potential shift in consumer behavior or market saturation [1].

References:
[1] https://www.huaweicentral.com/huawei-regains-first-spot-apple-ranks-fifth-in-q2-2025-chinese-smartphone-market/